We’re three weeks into the new Melbourne lockdown (and a few hours into the new state of emergency) and it continues to stretch out interminably before us, with cases somehow still climbing from where we started. People say this world is our new normal – lockdown, release, lockdown, release – an endless cycle until a miraculous vaccine emerges, but I can’t bear to think that this could ever feel like normality. Maybe we had it too easy the first time round here, and now that real numbers of hospitalisations and community transmission are occurring it’s as if the net is drawing tighter. It’s like a constant hum of anxiety, a reflex check of the newspaper live feeds for daily case numbers, breathing your own trapped air under your new compulsory face mask, feeling boxed in while you watch friends interstate and overseas go about ‘normal’ life. How much did we take for granted?
But besides going round in circles on coronavirus, a selection of other things I’ve been enjoying lately (and would love any of your book recommendations while we’re at it).
- Mrs America: an all-star miniseries of the fight for the equal rights amendment (the ERA) at the height of the women’s libertarian movement in the US in the 70s. It’s a fascinating insight into the women that both fought for and opposed it, and there are so many aspects that remain all too relevant today. It’s a drama, not a documentary, and extremely binge-able.
- A Gentleman in Moscow: one of my favourite books in a while – a clever, thoughtful and often funny look at decades of Russian history passing by the eyes of one man stuck in house arrest in the Metropol hotel in Moscow (also relatable..). Highly recommend.
- Alison Roman’s caramelised shallot pasta – like a more intense puttanesca where shallots and garlic are sizzled down until golden and soft, then combined with salty anchovies and a whole jar of tomato paste. We served it up tossed through freshly made fettuccine and a side of roasted broccolini with lemon and handfuls of grated parmesan. 10/10.
- If you’re in Melbourne, get yourself jars of fresh restaurant yellow and green curry paste thanks to Golden Grocer (would also recommend checking out Providoor for DIY restaurant meals at home).
- Investing (/splurging) on a few new baking tools – half of my tins are back in New Zealand (which may as well be Antarctica at this point) so a friand pan, mini fluted tins to recreate the infamous Bourke St Bakery ginger creme brûlée tarts, even a blow torch (!) are on their way. Watch this space.
- Olive sourdough – extending my sourdough repertoire with this recipe courtesy of Michael James via the Tivoli Road Bakery cookbook. It’s part white flour, part whole wheat, with a marinated olive tapenade as well as pitted olives folded through. SO GOOD.
- This cake – surely a must order if you’re in New Zealand.
- This eggplant, tofu and green bean stir-fry by Meera Sodha – one of the best quick dinners I’ve made in a while.
- These miso peanut butter cookies – I added dark chocolate chunks and have no regrets.
Trying to maintain a semblance of productivity this week took the form of this coconut satay roast pumpkin, broccoli & tofu salad. It’s all centred around the best coconut-ty, toasted sesame satay sauce, spiked with chilli, fish sauce and lemongrass and a hint of honey, lime and ginger. It’s spread over wedges of meltingly tender pumpkin until bubbling and crisp, and served up with your choice of greens, seared tofu, handfuls of herbs and extra fresh chilli. Extra dollops of that addictive satay source are your prerogative. A hug of warmth in a winter salad bowl.
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted and ground
- 3 tablespoons coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or liquid honey
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (dark roasted if you can get it)
- 1-2 stalks lemongrass finely grated
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 2-3 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 kent pumpkin (about 1kg, skin on but seeds scraped out, chopped into wedges)
- 1 head broccoli or 1-2 bunches broccolini
- 300 g hard/extra-firm tofu
- 1/2 cup edamame beans
- 1/4 cup coriander
- 1/4 cup basil thai basil if you can get it
- 1 red chilli thinly sliced into rings
- Remaining satay sauce to top
- Extra toasted sesame seeds to top
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Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and spread out the pumpkin wedges. Roast for 15-20 minutes while you make the satay sauce.
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Toast the sesame seeds and grind in a food processor/bullet blender/mortar and pestle. Combine with all ingredients in the satay sauce in a bowl.
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When the pumpkin is almost fork tender, spread spoonfuls of the satay sauce over the top side of the wedges (see photo). You should have roughly half the satay sauce left. Roast for a further 10-15 minutes until completely tender and the sauce is caramelising on top.
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Meanwhile, blanch the edamame beans and set aside.
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How you cook the tofu and broccoli is up to you and depends on what you’re used to and how much oven/stove top space you have. Here I sautéed the broccolini in a pan with olive oil + salt, then set it aside and used the same pan to sear the tofu on each side until crisp. I then added a few spoonfuls of satay sauce to the tofu and combined until caramelised. If you have oven space, you could also roast either (or both) the broccoli and tofu (with a bit of olive oil + salt) in the last half of the pumpkin cooking time to save on dishes.
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When it’s all cooked, combine on a platter, the oven tray or a bowl with the edamame beans, extra herbs, chilli, dollops of remaining satay sauce nad toasted sesame seeds. Serve up.
Great recipe, thank you! Made it for guests yesterday, everyone loved it!
So glad to hear! Thanks Joyce
This recipe was amazing! Thank you for sharing. I made some substitutions per what was accessible in my town/ I had on hand. I used a acorn squash instead of the pumpkin and lima beans instead of the edamame. I found the food processor essential — used it for the sesame seeds, lemongrass, ginger. That satay sauce Claudia is on point! So yum.
I also pressed my tofu and rolled it in a little cornstarch (something I have seen done in other recipes) before cooking as I find it makes the texture a little more firm, won’t easily fall apart. I will definitely be making this again and trying your other recipes. I have tried this one and the corn/goat cheese fritters and they were both a 10/10. Cheers and blessings to you and yours!
Thanks so much Stephanie, that is so good to hear! Food processor makes everything so much easier doesn’t it. Hope you are well and thanks again for letting me know.